Table of Contents
To describe the Old Man in Blackfoot’s religion as a sage without
good fortune is a contradiction in terms or better still, a decrepit god
battered by his paradoxes. The notion of the Old Man otherwise known as “Na’pi” in Blackfoot’s religion is a central figure in Blackfeet
cosmology.
The Blackfeet
are a Native American tribe from the Great Plains. Some writers have reasoned
that the Blackfoot tribe consists of four different groups of Native Americans.
There are the Siksika, Kanai, and Northern Pikuni who live in Canada. The
fourth group, the Amskapi Pikuni settled mainly in Montana. Some writers have
suggested that there are about 16,000 registered members, with over 80,000
people claiming Blackfoot heritage.
Can the Old
Man, who is a god be considered wise and foolish at the same time? Understood
in this light confines the notion into a competing duality and excuses the Old
Man from some behavioural flashes of oxymorons; that is showing some unfriendly
wickedness to the people at one point, and caring sympathies at other times.
A god that is
destined to fail or without any good fortune must not be ‘all-powerful’. A god
can meet many difficulties, and challenges while navigating the events on his
path; such difficulties are always surmountable. An example of this was the
Old Man’s ability to create the earth and sustain the lives of the Blackfeet.
Therefore, we
will examine the concept of the Old Man in Blackfoot’s religion, and his creative
power and emphasize his qualities regarding creation vis-à-vis the qualities of
the Sun (the Supreme chief). Before, this essay progresses, let us examine the
word ‘sage’ and see how the attribute ‘wise’ assigned to the Old Man undulates
illogically as an essential characteristic.
In Ancient
Greek philosophy, a sage (Sophos) is regarded as someone who
has wisdom. The same word has been used to describe someone who is good (agathos), or
a virtuous person (spoudaios). Therefore, a sage is considered a
wise, good, or virtuous person. More often, the attribute ‘wise’ is reserved for the elderly, especially those with enormous understanding and insight than
what an ordinary person can imagine or understand.
The word
‘wise’ can be defined as someone showing knowledge, experience, and good
judgement. It could mean someone who is judicious, insightful, discerning,
perceptive, rational, knowing, and shrewd.
With the
attribute of ‘wisdom,’ the Old Man could possess ‘all and every’ of the
characteristics mentioned above. Nevertheless, a god described as wise and
foolish at the same time raises the question: what kind of god is he?
The Old Man in Blackfoot’s Religion
The Old Man or the “Na’pi” is a well-known icon
or figure in the Blackfoot religion. He creates the tribe, the people, and their
world. He is the source of their being. He is considered as holding all the
magic and power in the world. Suzanne Rose describes him in her lesson notes:
The Old Man could be helpful to the Blackfoot, or he
might play tricks on them to teach them a lesson.
Writing about his qualities, Justin Mitchell opined:
Sometimes, he is wise, other times, hapless. Sometimes
he is dour and serious, but other times he is impishly mischievous. Sometimes
he is caring and sympathetic to people, but other times he plays tricks on
them.
In Access Genealogy, the Old Man is described as “a curious
mixture of opposite attributes … in the serious tales, such as those of the
creation, he is spoken of respectfully, and there is no hint of the impish
qualities which characterize him in other stories, in which he is powerful, but
also at times impotent” and in other cases, he is “full of all wisdom, yet at
times so helpless that he has to ask aid from the animals.” The various
citations above are insights into the inherent characteristics of the Old Man:
strength and weakness, wisdom and folly, childishness, and malice.
Notwithstanding the weakness, impotence, and foolishness
of the Old Man, he can never die. He is immortal. Legend has it that before he
disappeared into the mountains, he promised the people that he would always take
care of them and would return someday. The people anxiously not only wait for
his return but also for the return of the buffalo, which they believed was hidden
by the white men.
His Creative Powers
Reviewing the various texts about Blackfoot’s creative myths, they
sound like the biblical account of the state of the universe before
creation: Tohu wa-bohu. Their universe was in utter disorder and
confusion and covered completely with water, but the Old Man and the animals
were like jetsam on flotsam. Then, the Old Man measured out his qualities of
knowing, and good judgement as well as adroitness. What did he do to save
himself and the animals from their helpless situation? According to legend, the
Old Man sent out various animals (beaver, loon, muskrat) to get mud from the
depth of the water. While the beaver and loon failed only the muskrat returned with
a lump of mud. The Old Man eventually used it to create the earth and humans.
Corollary, it seems that his powers could not be mitigated by
his weakness, nor his goodness by his malice. He may be wanting like mortals in
terms of weakness, foolishness, malice or immaturity, but his wisdom and strength
come into play when required. It is possible to refer to the Old Man as having
two natures; one that is godlike and the other that is human-like. Otherwise,
how can we account for his weakness, mischievousness, and immaturity, on one hand,
and strength, wisdom, and goodness, on the other? We could be wrong.
According to the Blackfoot’s religion, the Old Man is
considered as light personified: the beginning of the day and the beginning of
life. Besides, the Old Man is “non-human and non-gendered.”
The Sun in Blackfoot’s Religion
Is the Old Man the Sun? Some say that there is
evidence to suggest that the Old Man and the Sun are of the same entity, but
the Sun is more important. Some others argue that in terms of attributes, the
Sun is unlike the Old Man. In Blackfoot’s religion, the Sun plays a godlike
role. While the Old Man is plagued by paradoxes, the Sun has more consistent
benevolence and is considered the source of all good fortune.
As myth would have it, the Sun is considered a man, as
against the Old Man who is viewed as “non-human and non-gendered.” The Sun is
also the supreme chief of the world whose home is the earth and protected by
the sky. Then, the moon is the Sun’s wife. Both have numerous children but were
all killed by pelicans with only the morning star as a survivor.
The notion of the Old Man in Blackfoot’s religion is an idea of a
god battered by paradoxes. It is not out of place to meet paradoxes in some
sacred texts or interpretations of the actions of gods. But to consider a few
paradoxes as the inherent design makes the Old Man a different deity. The Old Man
combines contradictory qualities, that is, one that is godlike and the other
that is humanlike, it is not enough to balance the malignity of the mixture of
opposites.
The Sun who is viewed as a man (human) seems to have better qualities and attitudes towards the people, but the Old Man understood as a god,
“non-human and non-gendered” is ill-starred and dwells in opposites.
Further readings
“The Religious Beliefs of the Blackfoot Tribe.” Classroom by
Justin Mitchell, September 29,
2017. https://classroom.synonym.com/the-religious-beliefs-of-the-blackfoot-tribe-12087502.html (accessed
February 7, 2021).
"Blackfoot Tribe Religion: Lesson for Kids." Study.com.
July 20, 2017. https://study.com/academy/lesson/blackfoot-tribe-religion-lesson-for-kids.html (accessed
February 7, 2021).
“Blackfeet Religion.” Access
Genealogy. https://accessgenealogy.com/native/blackfeet-religion.htm (accessed
February 7, 2021).
Dempsey, Hugh A., "Blackfoot Confederacy". In The
Canadian Encyclopedia. Historica Canada. Article published December 06, 2010;
Last Edited July 18,
2019. https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/blackfoot-nation (accessed
February 7, 2021).
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